Should a beginner purchase a dual suspension bike to start?

Do_A_Mono

Cannon Fodder
I bought a Giant Talon 4 nearly a year ago (this was my first real bike), and i am thinking of buying a dual suspension bike.
I'm not very good at tricks and I am fairly new to MTB.

My question is; should I purchase a bike with full suspension to get started on?

I'm not sure if experienced riders learned on a low budget bike and purchased a better bike once they were more skilled, or just bought a dual suspension bike to begin with.


thanks in advance :)
 

The Duckmeister

Has a juicy midrange
Being able to do tricks doesn't have a lot to do with it.

Dual suspension can forgive a lot more sins of the beginner rider than a hardtail, because the suspension takes up the bumps that will bounce a hardtail off into the tree. As such, there is a widely-held school of thought that a hardtail is better for a beginner because it will force the rider into developing skills that could otherwise be neglected.
 

NeoNasty

Likes Dirt
I started on a reasonable hardtail, after a year I was riding much faster than my bike (maybe it was me) could handle.
Bought a trance x 29er. Loved it, I still am learning lots and I've moved on to another bike after the trance.

I say do it, 100-120mm can make a great trail bike!
 
A hard tail will only go as far as teaching you to take a smoother line. You will tire of it after a while and go get a dual suspension, and love the comfort and forgiveness while you rip it up on that for a while. You will tire of the increased maintenance and cost, and indirect feel with the trail then be looking for another hard tail that will do what your full sus will do. Cheaper to maintain, back in contact with the trail, feeling alive again. Then you'll ditch that idea and want something even more simple and go get a light as single speed. Then you'll want comfort and gears again and go back to a full sus, and thus the cycle will begin again.

MTB, ever evolving, revolving and costing you $'s
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I bought a Giant Talon 4 nearly a year ago (this was my first real bike), and i am thinking of buying a dual suspension bike.
I'm not very good at tricks and I am fairly new to MTB.

My question is; should I purchase a bike with full suspension to get started on?

I'm not sure if experienced riders learned on a low budget bike and purchased a better bike once they were more skilled, or just bought a dual suspension bike to begin with.


thanks in advance :)
beginners usually start with a shitty bike because they:
- are unsure how much to commit to something new
- dont know what is/isnt good to ride
- dont know what sort of riding they will do
- dont understand how bikes work
- they are extraordinary tight arses and wont listen to the advice of friends.

Work out how much you have to spend...then double it. then buy a bike. beginners deserve good bikes too!
 

Twelve

Likes Dirt
A hard tail will only go as far as teaching you to take a smoother line
They have a lot more purpose than that for learning. It will help a lot with actually having a smoother riding style (not just choosing the smooth lines), jumping, climbing technique - the list goes on.
 

moorey

call me Mia
It doesn't have to be one or the other. I'd much rather see a kid start on a duallie, than start clipless, if we are concerned about skill development and technique.
For full disclosure, Felix started on a full sized HT at 7yo after 18 months on a 20 mtb. He moved to a duallie at 8yo, and still loves them, but I have also just built him a quality HT to play on. (he turned 11 a few weeks ago)
 

Twelve

Likes Dirt
Who knows how long any of the skills/habits you may learn on a hardtail would last once moved on to dual suspension anyway... This will vary from person to person of course.

I seem to think the retention may not be that long once you realise just how much easier it is in most regards, and start to get used to the rear suspension (considering riding style of course).
 

markusm

Likes Bikes
Being able to do tricks doesn't have a lot to do with it.

Dual suspension can forgive a lot more sins of the beginner rider than a hardtail, because the suspension takes up the bumps that will bounce a hardtail off into the tree. As such, there is a widely-held school of thought that a hardtail is better for a beginner because it will force the rider into developing skills that could otherwise be neglected.
I think your signature answers his question :)
 

JTmofo

XC Enthusiast
If you're tossing up the idea of buying a dual suspension.... just do it!
More forgiving, more versatile, more comfortable and for the those reasons, (IMO) more fun.

There will always be the polarizing opinions when it comes to hardtail vs dually for skills development, same for flat vs clipless...

Do yourself a favour and buy a decent dually suited to the type of riding you do/want to do.
And if you can't afford to buy new, buy used (once it's a mid+^ level bike)
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
beginners usually start with a shitty bike because they:
- are unsure how much to commit to something new
- dont know what is/isnt good to ride
- dont know what sort of riding they will do
- dont understand how bikes work
- they are extraordinary tight arses and wont listen to the advice of friends.

Work out how much you have to spend...then double it. then buy a bike. beginners deserve good bikes too!
You're not really a mountain biker are you? There's too much common sense here.

Some people have said about honing skills on hard tails, I followed a very quick bloke on a full rigid that rides in our group and it wasn't until then that I realised how lazy I've become on the dual sus bike.
 

stirk

Burner
Yes, do it and if you want that hard tail experience for 'trainging sessions' just pump that rear shock right up to max! You probably never would though.
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
I don't buy into this skill development propaganda. Just buy fucking sexy bike and post up some porn for the rest of us already!
 

droenn

Fat Man's XC President
I think a lot of us are just jealous when someone starts on a full suspension as we started with a povo HT and now feel that the only true way to MTB enlightenment is by the hard path. We then make up a whole bunch of stuff about line choice and skills progression and whatever to justify our feelings of "you gotta earn that squish".

It probably just comes down to budget though - if you are on limited funds, a HT normally gets you better spec than a cheap dualie

And HTs are hell fun for ripping down flow trails on..

Decent full suspension will give you a bit more confidence when you're learning to tackle rock gardens and drops.
 

link1896

Mr Greenfield
I don't buy into this skill development propaganda. Just buy fucking sexy bike and post up some porn for the rest of us already!
My mate who hasn't ridden in 15 years decides he wants to buy a bike again. Asks me for some advise, I send him some bike exchange links. We're talking about a 2016 Anthem 3. Late last night we set a bro date for next Saturday to go cruising bike shops.

Today at lunch I get a message,
"Bought this for $3600"

 

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
You've had a hard tail for four years... fuck the develop skills bullshit... go get yourself a dually, but I'd recommend a trail bike with at least 5" and slacker than XC geo... you'll love it
 

stirk

Burner
My mate who hasn't ridden in 15 years decides he wants to buy a bike again. Asks me for some advise, I send him some bike exchange links. We're talking about a 2016 Anthem 3. Late last night we set a bro date for next Saturday to go cruising bike shops.

Today at lunch I get a message,
"Bought this for $3600"

Old mate is gunna have a cracking good time on that bike!
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
My mate who hasn't ridden in 15 years decides he wants to buy a bike again. Asks me for some advise, I send him some bike exchange links. We're talking about a 2016 Anthem 3. Late last night we set a bro date for next Saturday to go cruising bike shops.

Today at lunch I get a message,
"Bought this for $3600"

Friends don't let friends buy anthems. You'll be plucking carbon splinters out for him on your 3rd bro-date!
 
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